hi guys!
so I see a lot of you on the wiki are into collaborating with each other - and that's really good!! I just have a few suggestions to help make your collabs better!!
Ideas/Planning[]
- don't be afraid to use cliches! many people are super critical about the use of them, but the best thing about them is that it allows you to put your own personal idea and spin on it!
- planning is good, but don't be afraid of taking it as it comes! the best part about writing stories, for me, is getting lost in the story and letting whatever is on my mind take over! and this isn't to discourage planning either! whatever works for you will work for the story :)
- adding variety in your stories will help you avoid burnout! sometimes it helps to have characters you've never written before, or work with an idea you've never tried. never written a villain? think about how you might want to write them and see if you can execute that in your collab! never tried a quest? see if you can work a quest into your story! the possibilities are endless :)
- the hardest part about collabs seems to be keeping your ideas silent. I've noticed many users tend to write down all of their ideas and even whole plots on others' talkpages! this isn't a bad thing, but it could spoil readers!! if possible (and wanted!), try to communicate elsewhere - either in the chatroom via private messaging, on a different piece of social media, on a google doc, whatever you feel will keep the peace! and remember, if you're on a limited storage site (like the wiki chatroom!) be sure to take screenshots or copy your ideas to another page! this will help keep your ideas between you and your collaborator and avoid potential spoilers lying on talkpages!
- but what if you're just starting a collab? it's okay to leave your ideas on there!
When Writing[]
- keep your other user(s) informed of your ideas for the rest of the story. this will not only help prevent conflict but also keep your story on pace to be completed!
- remember your collaborator has a personal life outside of the wiki. many users, including myself, are busy for a significant portion of their time! there's no reason why their chapter can't wait :)
- don't feel pressured to complete your share! I know it's hard when you feel like if you don't finish you'll end up letting them down. however, just let them know that you're working on it and do the same when you're done!
- COMMUNICATE!! it's essential that you all keep good communication so as to not confuse each other or cause conflict. it will help you in the long run!
- do your research if you're writing characters with things like mental illnesses, diseases, etc! so often I see people being accused of romanticizing real issues that many people go through! doing your research will help you get an idea of how people experiencing your symptoms feel. not every person with anxiety has panic attacks 24/7, and not every person who identifies as gay is flamboyant and overconfident! I know writing unique characters is fun - I like it too - but research prevents accusations of misrepresentation!
- it's hard to stay motivated. that's it. that's the bottom line. but don't push yourself to burnout just to get a chapter done! it isn't safe for you in terms of both your writing and mental health! try taking breaks if you feel like you're not making progress.
- don’t feel pressured to work towards a completed fanfiction! some of you seem to get long fanfictions done in a few days, and if you’re able to, cool! but as the saying goes, rome wasn’t built in a day, and your collab won’t be either.
that's it!! please let me know if you have questions or suggestions!